--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I intend to do what I can, working with…" description: "\"I intend to do what I can, working with my congressional colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, to help bring about the changes to the practices and In..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/john-mccain-465_colleagues_i-intend-to-do-what-i-can-working-with-m_837291.png" --- # I intend to do what I can, working with my congressional… ![“I intend to do what I can, working with my congressional colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, to help bring about the changes to the practices and Institutions of our democracy that they want and deserve.” quote by John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/john-mccain-465_colleagues_i-intend-to-do-what-i-can-working-with-m_837291.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/john-mccain-465_colleagues_i-intend-to-do-what-i-can-working-with-m_837291.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/john-mccain-465_colleagues_i-intend-to-do-what-i-can-working-with-m_837291.png) > “I intend to do what I can, working with my congressional colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, to help bring about the changes to the practices and Institutions of our democracy that they want and deserve.” [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Commits to bipartisan cooperation to reform democratic institutions for the benefit of all citizens. **In simple terms:** Work together across parties for reform. Key Takeaway Pursue bipartisan democratic reform. Themes bipartisanship democracy reform Mood optimistic determined Type political motivational When to use this quote - legislative sessions - community forums - policy workshops Key Concepts institutional change civic duty Questions to Reflect On - How can you foster cross‑party dialogue? - What reforms matter most to you? A Different Perspective Political polarization may hinder cooperation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Colleagues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colleagues/) [Colleagues Republicans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colleagues-republicans-274270/) [Congressional Colleagues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congressional-colleagues-611083/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-want-611082/) [Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat/) [Democrats Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrats-help-611084/) [Deserve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deserve/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Working Congressional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-congressional-611081/) ## Related quotes > [My purpose is to call on my colleagues, whether they're Republicans or Democrats, to get behind the agenda of trying to reform the government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/my-purpose-is-to-call-on-my-colleagues-whether-they-re-republicans-or/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [I'm sincerely thankful for my colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats, who continue to denounce hateful, anti-Jewish sentiment. And I continue to be grateful for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-britt/i-m-sincerely-thankful-for-my-colleagues-both-republicans-and/) [Katie Britt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-britt/) > [I would say to Republicans that when you look at civil rights legislation that took place in the 1960s, it took a bipartisan effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-veasey/i-would-say-to-republicans-that-when-you-look-at-civil-rights/) [Marc Veasey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-veasey/) > [Democracy? I want nothing to do with a system which operates on the premise that my rights don’t exist simply because I am outnumbered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-wrights/democracy-i-want-nothing-to-do-with-a-system-which-operates-on-the/) [R. Lee Wrights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-wrights/) > [“Voting isn’t the most we can do, but it is the least. To have a democracy, you have to want one. Still,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/voting-isn-t-the-most-we-can-do-but-it-is-the-least-to-have-a/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [The people who say they're for democracy want nothing to do with democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/the-people-who-say-they-re-for-democracy-want-nothing-to-do-with/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [The Arab Spring, nobody's in the streets demonstrating for radical Islam; they're in the streets with a window of democracy. They want our political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-keane/the-arab-spring-nobody-s-in-the-streets-demonstrating-for-radical/) [Jack Keane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-keane/) > [Everything is generated through your own will power. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. This is a democracy. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/everything-is-generated-through-your-own-will-power-you-don-t-have-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I do not want to abandon representative democracy. I want to see it balanced by popular sovereignty, especially the variety known as deliberative democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-monbiot/i-do-not-want-to-abandon-representative-democracy-i-want-to-see-it/) [George Monbiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-monbiot/) > [I don't support direct democracy because I want a life, and that means I want to select people who work for me who do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/i-don-t-support-direct-democracy-because-i-want-a-life-and-that-means/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Most Americans do really think that Muslims all want to take over and they don't want democracy and they want nothing but Islamic law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/most-americans-do-really-think-that-muslims-all-want-to-take-over-and/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [The membership survey was a great moment for inner-party democracy. We can't go back, nor do we want to. Our members are pouring their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/the-membership-survey-was-a-great-moment-for-inner-party-democracy-we/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [Some corporations don't want free markets, and they don't want democracy. They want profits. And they use our campaign finance system to loot our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-f-kennedy-jr/some-corporations-don-t-want-free-markets-and-they-don-t-want/) [Robert F. Kennedy, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-f-kennedy-jr/) > [“As long as the United States remains a democracy, I want to be in the ideological fight against illiberal nationalism and continue to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcfaul/as-long-as-the-united-states-remains-a-democracy-i-want-to-be-in-the/) [Michael McFaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcfaul/) > [I think it's something that the citizenry needs to be vigilant about - participating in democracy, and that includes issues like what's going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/i-think-it-s-something-that-the-citizenry-needs-to-be-vigilant-about/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) ## More by John McCain > [I have the utmost confidence in General Mattis, General Flynn, General Kelly, Dan Coates. I couldn't have picked a better team. And so I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-have-the-utmost-confidence-in-general-mattis-general-flynn-general/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Washington is a Hollywood for ugly people. Hollywood is a Washington for the simpleminded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/washington-is-a-hollywood-for-ugly-people-hollywood-is-a-washington/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I think that it's important that we understand the importance of the Hispanic vote in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-think-that-it-s-important-that-we-understand-the-importance-of-the/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [ I will not agree to have this bill \[to repeal DADT \] go forward, because our economy is in the tank. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-will-not-agree-to-have-this-bill-to-repeal-dadt-go-forward-because/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I don't know a politician who enjoys fundraising. The system is such that the American people have lost faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-don-t-know-a-politician-who-enjoys-fundraising-the-system-is-such/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [It is perhaps my greatest hope, Mr. President, that some day we'll consider tax and spending measures with no one else in mind but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/it-is-perhaps-my-greatest-hope-mr-president-that-some-day-we-ll/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [This kind of horror has become all too familiar to us. As parents, Cindy and I offer our prayers to the memory of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/this-kind-of-horror-has-become-all-too-familiar-to-us-as-parents/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [The truth is sometimes a hard pill to swallow. It sometimes causes us difficulties at home and abroad. It is sometimes used by our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/the-truth-is-sometimes-a-hard-pill-to-swallow-it-sometimes-causes-us/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Countries, not just their armies, win wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/countries-not-just-their-armies-win-wars/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [My greatest fear is the Iranians acquire a nuclear weapon and give it to a terrorist organization. And there is a real threat of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/my-greatest-fear-is-the-iranians-acquire-a-nuclear-weapon-and-give-it/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Presidential ambition is a disease that can only be cured by embalming fluid .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/presidential-ambition-is-a-disease-that-can-only-be-cured-by/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [3 "amnesty" didn't mean rewarding illegal behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/3-amnesty-didn-t-mean-rewarding-illegal-behavior/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [On the subject of Osama bin Laden... we will track him down. We will capture him. We will bring him to justice, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/on-the-subject-of-osama-bin-laden-we-will-track-him-down-we-will/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [That's Joe Biden right there - unbowed, unbroken and unable to stop talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/that-s-joe-biden-right-there-unbowed-unbroken-and-unable-to-stop/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) [Explore all 539 John McCain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) ## More Colleagues quotes > [I've never been motivated by money. My peers and colleagues inspire me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-chase/i-ve-never-been-motivated-by-money-my-peers-and-colleagues-inspire-me/) [Robin Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-chase/) > [It's wonderful to see more of my colleagues recognizing the importance of investing in STEM education and scientific research and development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/it-s-wonderful-to-see-more-of-my-colleagues-recognizing-the/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [I am sorry to upset my colleagues by saying we wasted four years in opposition, but if you do get so badly defeated as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/i-am-sorry-to-upset-my-colleagues-by-saying-we-wasted-four-years-in/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [Don’t let yourself be. Find something new to try, something to change. Count how often it succeeds and how often it doesn’t. Write about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/don-t-let-yourself-be-find-something-new-to-try-something-to-change/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/un-peacekeeping-operations-are-now-increasingly-complex-and-multi/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [“The whole organization seemed to be in free fall, indulging in a collective fantasy in which experienced colleagues refused to admit that their every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-whole-organization-seemed-to-be-in-free-fall-indulging-in-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is a danger of Scottish politics being between two sets of dinosaurs... the Nationalists who can't accept they were rejected by the people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-lamont/there-is-a-danger-of-scottish-politics-being-between-two-sets-of/) [Johann Lamont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-lamont/) > [We must continue our fight to ensure that Federal, State, and local authorities have the resources and support necessary to combat this growing epidemic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-lewis/we-must-continue-our-fight-to-ensure-that-federal-state-and-local/) [Ron Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-lewis/) > [The questions of traditional and redefined marriage are highly emotional and a difficult and sensitive topic. Living in the D.C. area and having gay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-schlapp/the-questions-of-traditional-and-redefined-marriage-are-highly/) [Mercedes Schlapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-schlapp/) > [Very often, we are confronted by people who want us to pray their way or colleagues who want us to think their way. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-klemp/very-often-we-are-confronted-by-people-who-want-us-to-pray-their-way/) [Harold Klemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-klemp/) > [For all the civilians saved thanks to the presence of peacekeepers, there have been those who were lost - the United Nations personnel who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-eliasson/for-all-the-civilians-saved-thanks-to-the-presence-of-peacekeepers/) [Jan Eliasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-eliasson/) > [I have always been very calm and with all the triumphs I have had I have always been sure to thank my colleagues and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulinho/i-have-always-been-very-calm-and-with-all-the-triumphs-i-have-had-i/) [Paulinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulinho/) > [As a former undercover CIA officer, I've worked with my colleagues in the 114th Congress to approach the growing terrorist threat from a number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hurd/as-a-former-undercover-cia-officer-i-ve-worked-with-my-colleagues-in/) [Will Hurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hurd/) > [ In the end, many of his more militant colleagues began to feel that \[Ho Chi Minh's\] tendency to compromise, and his reluctance to confront… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-duiker/in-the-end-many-of-his-more-militant-colleagues-began-to-feel-that-ho/) [William J. Duiker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-duiker/) [Browse all 1,024 Colleagues quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colleagues/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I intend to do what I can, working with my congressional colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, to help bring about the changes to the practices and Institutions of our democracy that they want and deserve.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John McCain" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-intend-to-do-what-i-can-working-with-my-congressional-colleagues/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Colleagues" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-intend-to-do-what-i-can-working-with-my-congressional-colleagues/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/john-mccain-465_colleagues_i-intend-to-do-what-i-can-working-with-m_837291.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/john-mccain-465_colleagues_i-intend-to-do-what-i-can-working-with-m_837291.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/john-mccain-465_colleagues_i-intend-to-do-what-i-can-working-with-m_837291.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I intend to do what I can, working with my congressional colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, to help…” — John McCain", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John McCain", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I intend to do what I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-intend-to-do-what-i-can-working-with-my-congressional-colleagues/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-intend-to-do-what-i-can-working-with-my-congressional-colleagues/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```